Riding saddle frame



Filed July 30 19:54

FlE i INVENTOH" Guido Knet'sdl.

Patented Mar. 17, 1936 STATES PATENT ()FFIQE RIDING SADDLE FRAME GuidoKnetsch,

Berlin, Germany 1 Claim.

This invention relates to a riding saddle frame with longitudinal sideparts made of plywood and connected at the rear part.

According to the invention fibre or plywood strips are arranged in thespace between the longitudinal parts and are extended up to the rearfork and strongly curved.

According to a further feature of the invention the head strap which ispreferably made of chromium-nickel steel, is inserted in a recess in thefront fork of the saddle so that the withers of the horse cannot beinjured. The strap is preferably connected to the front fork by screws.As compared with known saddles in which the head strap is fixed byrivets, this construction presents the advantage that the head strap caneasily be exchanged.

Finally the longitudinal side parts are according to the inventionconnected at an obtuse angle with the middle part comprising the fibrestrips, so that a hollow space is formed between the longitudinal sideparts and the back of the horse. This is best illustrated in Fig. 3where it will be seen that the under faces of the side members I lie atan obtuse angle with respect tothe horizontal and contact the body ofthe horse snugly and comfortably. At the same time the longitudinallyextending strips 3 lie high enough above the contacting faces i of theside members I to provide the aforementioned hollow space within whichthe backbone of the horse may lie out of actual contact with the saddle.Here the animal is indicated at H.

All these measures present the advantage that 35 the spine and thewithers of the horse are free and only those portions are loaded whichby nature are suitable as supports.

An embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanyingdrawing in which:--

Fig. 1 shows the saddle frame in bottom plan view.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view upon line 33 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a front elevation of a metal head strap adapted to fit in therecess 4 of the saddle frame.

The invention resides in the saddle frame and has been so claimed. It iscommon practice in the saddle making art to form suitably shaped framesof wood or like material and to cover the same with leather. Icontemplate following this standard practice though the external leathercover is not of the essence of the invention.

The frame of the saddle comprises the side members I made of plywood.These side plates lie in spaced relation to each other and are spannedand joined at the rear by a curved, preferably, plywood, part 2 which isglued or otherwise secured to the top of the side members or plates I.At the forward ends of the side members are outwardly and downwardlyflaring wings l and these side members and wings are covered on top andbottom by the leather covering I, some of the securing stitching bywhich it is drawn taut being indicated at l As before stated, the spacebetween the side members I is filled with longitudinally extendingcurved strips 3 of fibre or like strong resilient material and theportion I, which lies between and connects the sides I at the front endof the saddle, is provided with an'underside recess 4 for the receptionof the intermediate bowed portion 7 of the head frame F. The terminalends of the head frame are secured by the screws f to the wings l Thusthe wings while lying low enough to engage the body of the animal welldown its sides for proper bracing of the saddle, are stiffened andsupported, while at the same time the bowed portion of the head frame iscaused to be wholly above the under face of the portion I within whichthe backbone of the animal lies and cannot possibly injure the same.

I claim:-

In combination, a saddle frame comprising longitudinally disposed sideframe members of plywood spaced from each other to leave a space betweenthem, a transverse member uniting the side members at their rear ends,the rear ends of the side members being curved upwardly, the forwardends of said side frame members terminating in downwardly and outwardlyflaring wing portions, a filling portion between the side frame membersadjacent the front end thereof, the under side of which is provided witha transverse recess, a metallic head frame of arch formation, theintermediate portion of which is received in said recess and theterminal end portions of which are removably attached to said wings, thespace between said side frame members receiving a plurality oflongitudinally extending rearwardly and upwardly curved strips, the saidwings extending a material distance below the bottom line of theremainder of the saddle frame and the under sides of the side framemembers presenting an obtuse angle with respect to the horizontal at thepoint at which they contact with the body of the animal.

GUIDO KNETSCH.

